China’s cabinet-level departments have rolled out a fresh package of inbound-travel incentives designed to turn casual visitors into repeat customers. The centre-piece is an expanded network of 30-day unilateral visa-free entry arrangements that now covers 45 countries, ranging from France and Germany to Australia and Brazil. Travellers who qualify may enter China for business, leisure, family visits or transit without applying for a visa in advance, provided their stay does not exceed one month. The National Immigration Administration has instructed all ports of entry to issue standardised landing-slips in less than two minutes, a move aimed at giving first-time visitors “a friction-less first impression.”
Complementing easier entry is a major shake-up of China’s departure-tax-refund regime. Effective immediately, the minimum purchase threshold for claiming a VAT refund has been cut to RMB 200 per receipt (about US $27), down from RMB 500, while the cash-refund ceiling has been lifted to RMB 20,000. More than 1,700 retail outlets in Shanghai alone are now authorised to process instant cashbacks, and electronic refund kiosks have been installed at all of the city’s exit gates, including Hongqiao Railway Station. Nationally, refund applications between January and September surged 229.8 percent year-on-year, according to Ministry of Commerce data.
![China broadens visa-free entry and streamlines tax refunds to woo foreign visitors]()
If you’re not from one of the 45 newly visa-exempt countries, or if your trip involves stays longer than a month, VisaHQ can simplify the traditional visa-application maze. Its digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) guides users through the correct forms, books consular appointments, and provides real-time status tracking—services that save both individual travellers and corporate mobility teams valuable time and reduce paperwork headaches.
Officials believe the twin policies create a virtuous circle: visa-free entry boosts footfall, while quicker VAT rebates encourage higher spend and repeat visits. Travel-platform Qunar reports that search volumes for “visa-free China trip” rose 62 percent in the 48 hours after the measures were announced. Luxury groups LVMH and Richemont have already extended store opening hours in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in anticipation of a stronger holiday rush. Duty-free operator China Tourism Group says inbound receipts at its downtown Shanghai flagship are 38 percent above the same period in 2019, underscoring how discretionary shopping is rebounding.
For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: short-notice visits by executives and project engineers have become easier to arrange, and expense policies should be updated to reflect the lower paperwork burden. Companies running frequent-traveller programmes may also wish to educate staff on the new in-country tax-refund rules so they can reclaim VAT on laptops, telecoms equipment and sample merchandise purchased during trips. HR teams should, however, remind employees that the unilateral waiver does not cover paid employment or long-term assignments; a proper work authorisation is still required for stays exceeding 30 days.
Complementing easier entry is a major shake-up of China’s departure-tax-refund regime. Effective immediately, the minimum purchase threshold for claiming a VAT refund has been cut to RMB 200 per receipt (about US $27), down from RMB 500, while the cash-refund ceiling has been lifted to RMB 20,000. More than 1,700 retail outlets in Shanghai alone are now authorised to process instant cashbacks, and electronic refund kiosks have been installed at all of the city’s exit gates, including Hongqiao Railway Station. Nationally, refund applications between January and September surged 229.8 percent year-on-year, according to Ministry of Commerce data.
If you’re not from one of the 45 newly visa-exempt countries, or if your trip involves stays longer than a month, VisaHQ can simplify the traditional visa-application maze. Its digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) guides users through the correct forms, books consular appointments, and provides real-time status tracking—services that save both individual travellers and corporate mobility teams valuable time and reduce paperwork headaches.
Officials believe the twin policies create a virtuous circle: visa-free entry boosts footfall, while quicker VAT rebates encourage higher spend and repeat visits. Travel-platform Qunar reports that search volumes for “visa-free China trip” rose 62 percent in the 48 hours after the measures were announced. Luxury groups LVMH and Richemont have already extended store opening hours in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in anticipation of a stronger holiday rush. Duty-free operator China Tourism Group says inbound receipts at its downtown Shanghai flagship are 38 percent above the same period in 2019, underscoring how discretionary shopping is rebounding.
For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: short-notice visits by executives and project engineers have become easier to arrange, and expense policies should be updated to reflect the lower paperwork burden. Companies running frequent-traveller programmes may also wish to educate staff on the new in-country tax-refund rules so they can reclaim VAT on laptops, telecoms equipment and sample merchandise purchased during trips. HR teams should, however, remind employees that the unilateral waiver does not cover paid employment or long-term assignments; a proper work authorisation is still required for stays exceeding 30 days.
